Long time patrons of Trinidad’s first national airline BWIA, and its more recent incarnation Caribbean Airlines, are familiar with its highly respected inflight publication “Caribbean Beat”. However did you know that before that there was the “Caribbean Beachcomber”? A joint effort between BWIA, LIAT, Air Jamaica, the Jamaica Air Service, the Caribbean Travel Association... 

This entry is part 6 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Punch de Creme, is another of Trinidad’s traditional Christmas drinks. One thing that I really like about punch de creme (as opposed to traditional eggnog) is the use of citrus flavors like lime and Angostura bitters (which has orange extract). This gives the ‘nog’ a fruity lightness that alleviates the sweet creaminess (which... 

This entry is part 7 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas As promised, here is a recipe for Paime (pron. PAY-me)! Paime is basically a sweet version of the savoury pastelle. I only recently discovered that Paime is also a traditional Xmas dish. Well that explains why it seemed I never could find it lol! No one in my family makes this traditionally, so I have only been offered/given it by acquaintances... 

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasOne of Trinidad’s seasonal delights, pastelles are a steamed cornmeal pie wrapped in banana leaves and filled with stewed meat, olives, and raisins. I’ve been told that they are very similar to Latin American tamales, and indeed Venezualan foodblogger Tomasnomas has a link to the exact same dish, referring to it on his blog as Tamal... 

This entry is part 4 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Christmas in Trinidad is a diverse multicultural affair. Not just for the Christian population, but also through the secular participation of the nation at large through the enjoyment of our local christmas songs (called parang) and especially the creation and consumption of our traditional Christmas foods. No Christmas in Trinidad would be complete... 

This entry is part 1 of 11 in the series Trini Christmas Gluten-free Trinidad Black Cake (instructions for gluten-free, traditional, and halaal follow below) Like sorrel, Black Cake in Trinidad is a Christmas institution. Made predominantly of alcohol drenched prunes, currants and raisins, variations abound (and I love taste testing when we make the visiting rounds). Still, the best black cake is always... 

This entry is part 2 of 11 in the series Trini ChristmasWhat is Parang? Well Parang is the soundtrack to Christmas here in Trinidad. More than that however Parang is also a culture, a way of life that sweeps through my island after the lights of Eid and Divali have been put away. The What is Parang? webpage has a wonderful overview of the history and features of Trinidad Parang. ‘Parang’... 

Top 10 Soup Recipes on TriniGourmet.com 1. Trinidad Corn Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings (recipe) Corn soup is a street food favorite here in Trinidad, especially at carnival time when vendors ply large pots of it that they spoon into styrofoam cups outside of fetes and clubs. 2. Trinidad Callaloo (vegetarian recipe) Callaloo is a fond memory for many Trinidadians, myself included, 3.... 

I see plenty of recipes for accra in West Indian Cookbooks but often they bear little resemblance to Trinidad Accra. My Jamaican mother tells me that what she knows as accra is a saltfish fritter, flat, fried brown. Here in Trinidad however accra is a puffy fried dough ball, made of a highly seasoned dough into which shredded saltfish has been mixed. I’ve had it at weddings, gatherings, and... 

Several years ago, the UK based Trini food blogger Can Cook Must Cook posted on “Those Disappearing Pleasures”, the snacks of her childhood which no longer appear on Trini shop shelves. Out of the names she called I could only recognize ‘rock cake’. Bellyful? Shaddock Candy? Kaser Balls? Wha dat? This made me more than a little sad. Apparently many of these items fell out... 

. From Epicentre.com: Ginger is one of those ingredients that can be many things to many people. Not only is it used in cuisines around the world, but it also comes in a variety of forms fresh, pickled, dried, and crystallized among them . People who bake may immediately call to mind the ground ginger they use in gingerbread or the jewel-like crystallized ginger they add to holiday cookies and cakes.... 

This post was originally published on October 13, 2006. It has been updated twice since then. Bake is a popular breakfast bread here in Trinidad. Hearty by nature, its heavy crumb keeps you feeling satisfied for hours. Especially when taken with a savory topping. My version here, raises the fiber content through a healthy dose of wholewheat flour. Be sure to pay attention to the resting time and... 

This salad is a nostalgic favourite of mine. It was the only form of vegetables that my Aunt provided on a regular basis when I (and many of her godchildren) would spend part of the school holidays by her. From young I enjoyed the contrast in textures between the smooth creamy mayonnaise, and crunchy carrots… and the occasional burst of sweetness that the raisins provided? Heaven! So imagine... 

From Natural Health Magazine: This stir-fry is inspired by the flavors of traditional Chinese red roasting, which derives its special character from the use of dark soy, Shaoxing wine and rock sugar. This post was originally published on October 15, 2006 and was one of the first dishes I prepared for this site. A sentimental fave just right for revisiting! This dish relies heavily on the quality... 

This entry is part 8 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 3, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. I was talking to a Brazilian friend a few years ago and she was surprised at some of the differences between our Carnival and theirs. You see it was a few weeks ago when she decided to look and see what costume/band she should play with.... 

This entry is part 6 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. J’ouvert (joo-VAY) is the start to the Carnival celebrations. It begins in the pre-dawn hours of Carnival Monday and lasts until daybreak. J’ouvert (which is a Creole corruption of the French Jour Ouvert – day opening)... 

This entry is part 5 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 6, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. Dimanche Gras takes place on the Sunday night before Ash Wednesday. Here the Calypso Monarch is chosen (after competition) and prize money and a vehicle bestowed. Also the King and Queen of the bands are crowned, where each band to parade... 

This entry is part 4 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Image from the Trinidad Guardian If you are getting the sense that Carnival is one big long party you are right! So it only makes sense that one big long party would be made of many many big long parties as well. These parties in Trinidad are called fetes and are attended by hundreds sometimes thousands. Fetes feature the biggest... 

This entry is part 3 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Exodus Steelband performing in Trafalgar Square, England – photo by bram_souffreau It seems that every time a North American program wants to denote the ‘tropics’ you will hear the sound of a steelpan. It doesn’t even to seem to matter if the ‘tropics’ are in the Caribbean on a cruise ship or... 

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the series Trinidad and Tobago Carnival This post was originally published on February 14, 2007. It has been updated twice since then. It is hard to imagine Carnival without music. And the definitive music of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is soca. So what is Soca Music? Well, why not let Soca Superstar Machel Montano say it in his own words? From Caribbean Music 101...